ŠKODA pulls in more silverware as Superb and Octavia scoop three 2017 Tow Car Awards

14/06/2017

​Milton Keynes, 14 June 2017. ŠKODA has secured a hat-trick of titles at the Tow Car Awards 2017. Confirming the brand's products as some of the best all-rounders for owners who need to tow, the awards went to the Superb and the recently updated new Octavia.

The annual Tow Car Awards is a joint venture organised and judged by Practical Caravan, What Car? and The Camping and Caravanning Club – and features one of the most in-depth assessment processes in the business.

Having put shortlisted contenders through a variety of gruelling tests at the HORIBA-MIRA proving ground in Warwickshire, the judging panel declared the new Octavia as the winner of the ‘Up to 1,400kg’ category, awarding it a five star rating in the process.

Confirming the panel’s decision, David Motton, Tow Car Editor, Practical Caravan magazine said: “The Octavia is great to tow with and supremely practical. The 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel does its usual fine job – there’s plenty of punch for overtaking or towing up to speed on the motorway. The Octavia estate also has a huge boot. No wonder it’s a firm favourite with the practicality testers as well as drivers.”

Not to be outdone, the Superb secured top spot in 1400-1549kg kerb weight category for the second year running and was named the outright winner of the 2017 Fuel Economy Award. As with the Octavia, the judges were impressed with the Superb’s all-round ability and suitability to towing – awarding it another five-star rating.

“The Superb is roomy, great value and an excellent tow car.” said David Motton. “If you need to stop in a hurry, the Superb comes to a halt quickly and without drama. It’s not just the short distance that impresses, but also the stability while slowing and the lack of bumping from the ‘van.“

The Superb also saw off stiff competition to take the 2017 Fuel Economy Award. In a category where judges scrutinised fuel consumption under heavy loads and challenging roads, the Superb – which was tested in 2.0 TDI 150PS form – excelled once again.

Naming the Superb as the winner, David Motton said: “The winner of this award has to be stable and capable as a tow car, as well as fuel efficient. That’s why this year’s winner is the ŠKODA Superb.”

ŠKODA models continue to enjoy recognition for their exceptional towing abilities. These awards are the latest in an ever-expanding collection of silverware dedicated to towing. In addition to offering factory-fitted options for tow bars, ŠKODA also offers a range of touring and lifestyle accessories.

ŠKODA has once again proved itself to be the brand to beat by dominating the 2018 DieselCar and EcoCar Top 50. The Czech brand was named as class winner in no fewer than four key categories and topped more sectors than any other manufacturer in the influential annual chart.

Motoring review site Honest John has named the ŠKODA KODIAQ its overall 2018 Car of the Year – adding another trophy to the Czech SUV’s remarkable collection. In addition to awarding the KODIAQ its highest honour, Honest John website visitors also named the SUPERB as its Family Car of the Year for the second year in succession.

ŠKODA AUTO continues its growth course. Never before has the Czech traditional brand achieved such a strong result in terms of sales revenue, deliveries and operating profit between January and March. The manufacturer delivered 316,700 vehicles worldwide (+ 11.7%). Operating profit increased by 5.3% to 437 million euros in the same period, while sales revenue increased by 4.9% to 4.5 billion euros.

ŠKODA owners can check the status of their car with just their voice thanks to the integration of ŠKODA Connect and Amazon’s Alexa virtual personal assistant. The technology works across all devices equipped with Alexa Voice Services and allows owners to interact with their vehicles on a completely new level.

ŠKODA UK continued to grow into 2018 with sales remaining buoyant despite the general decline in the new car market. The brand achieved a joint-record first quarter market share of 3.01 per cent (first recorded in 2014), up 0.29 per cent over the same period last year with 21,611 cars finding new homes. ŠKODA also delivered its best-ever March market share of 2.81 per cent, up from 2.43 per cent in 2017, registering 13,300 cars.